Reviews

United 93

How does one go into a film like United 93 when we already know what is going to happen and we know it will upset us?  There is no simple answer, only simple choices: you do or you don’t.

There have been a lot of public detractors of this film, either in the press or within the general population.  They say things like “too soon” or make cries of exploitation.  Frankly, I find no merit in these opinions.  The only exceptions to this are those who have been personally affected by this tragedy, whether you lost a family member, friend, co-worker or whatever then I do see your point and can completely understand not wanting to see these events unfold on screen either in a recounting or a dramatization.  As for the couch jockeys that sat around glued to CNN for a week that were saddened, outraged, frustrated, frightened: you have no good excuse.  For the people who stray away from this film because you cannot be burned with uncomfortable feelings for two hours then I say shame on you!

It sickens me that people can see films like Schindler’s List or The Passion of The Christ and feel like they have committed a bold act and should be honored for it, yet a film of equal power and depth that only happened five years ago is found to be taboo in their opinions.

Yes, this film is powerful in so many ways that go without explanation.  Yes, this film will sadden, frustrate, anger and frighten you.  Yes, you will remember this long after you have driven home and try to erase from your memory what you just saw; but it won’t work.  These images will stay with you and move you to great lengths.  I speak from my own personal experience of watching this film.  I was shocked by the events of September 11, 2001 and yet I was not as moved by those events until I had a personal connection with the victims.  Now of course this is by no means an accurate depiction of what exactly happened in that plane, but even so I was with them and felt the range of emotions that the actors portray, and so will you.  You will be engrossed and completely captured by the events that transpire.  You will feel the frustration and helplessness that the military and air traffic controllers felt.  You will feel the tension and suspense unlike anything you have ever felt, and that is only because of the fact that this is real and you know what is coming next.

I will not apologize for my strong words and finger pointing.  United 93 needs to be seen. 

I am touched by the families of the victims for showing their support of the film.  They agree as I do of the quality of the film.  I found nothing exploitative about it, as a matter of fact if you truly give into your empathy as I did, you will find yourself pitying the hijackers for a moment for the fear they felt because unlike the passengers and crew who were boarding the plane that morning, they knew they were going to die.  You do feel that anticipation of death, that is until they actually hijack the plane.  It is then that you truly hate these men and the people that charged them to commit this vile act.  United 93 does look on all angles of this particular event and is respectful in everyway.

There is absolutely nothing derogatory I can say about this film.  For those of us who were only connected to this tragedy by what we saw on television, then it gives you that connection.  It gives us insight as to what took place on September 11, 2001, inside of United flight 93.

The word hero was used to describe those passengers who fought back against their captors.  If I could find a better more honorable word to describe those men and women, I would, but there isn’t one.

10/10

George Buehler